Vacuum gauge of the ionization producing type



y 19, 1953 J. w. CLARK ETAL 7 VACUUM GAUGE OF THE IONIZATION PRODUCING TYPE Filed June 4, 1949 FIG.

IN V EN TORS JOHN W CLARK STERLING G. MIVEE'S ATTOR/V Patented May 19, 1953 rec STATES PATENT oer-ice PRODUCING TYPE John Clark and Sterling: McNees Cedar. Rapids; Iowa-,, assignors to Collins Radio- Com. pany, Cedar Rapids, Iwa,.a.corp0ration.of.-Iowa liqtvplica;tion June 4, 1949; Serial No; 97,254

This: invention. relates to vacuum or pressure measurement, and more particularly to the measurementzcf vacuum or pressure, through the intermediary of ionization.

A principalobject ofthe invention is to provide an improved vacuum or pressure measuring: at.- ta'ehment, particularlysuitable for use with @yolotrons; Riesna-trons, and-likedevices.

Another object ist'o provide a unitary vacuum or pressure measuring attachment composed of two sections; one section to be located within the space where the vacuum or'pre'ssure. isv to be measured, and: the other section to be located outside thesai'd space,-

fincther'objecti's to pro'vide a vacuum or pressure measuring attachment employin an ionizing electron source in the form of a focussed or well-defined electron beam, which source is sated outside the space to'be measured; and an ion collector section within the space Where the vacuum or pressure isto be measured.

A- feature oi'the' inventionrelates toan' ionization produci-ng and collecting unit for removable ail-tachmerit to the wall of an enclosing. chamber wherein-the vacuum or pressure is to be measured.

" Another feature relates. to. an. improved ionization gauge which is of sturdy mechanical structure, and: adapted for expeditious attachment to thes-wall-iof. achamberwherein gas or vapor pressure conditions are to be determined.

A still: further feature relates: to the novel organization, arrangement and relative location and; interconnection of parts which cooperate to provide a; detachable pressure measuring device tor. evacuated chambers. Qther. features and advantages not particularly enumerated, will be apparent. after a considerati'ona. oi the following detailed descriptions and the-appended; claims.

mthadrawingwhich shows by was. of example one: preferred: embodiment,

- Fig;-risa-longitudinal sectionalview ofa device according to the invention. Fig. Z 'is-a sectional view of Fig. '1 taken along the line 2:.--2 thereof. the drawing, the numeral t represents. the enclosing wall ofa chamber wherein a predetermined vacuum 'or gas pressure is to be main"- t'aiiied; For" example; it may represent the enclosing'wall of a; Cyclotron, a Resnatron', or similar electron discharge device wherein: the degree oiv-aeuum' is required to be maintained with predhterminedilimitss The wall I has: an: opening: 2 tor-"the reception of the ion collecting: sectiorrof 5 Glaims. (or. sis-w 2 the gauge according to thein vention This g'all'ee comprises; in general, the two sections: 3? anui 4?; section- 3 being:- the ion collecting section to be removably' inserted: into the vacuum. chamber through the opening: and the section 4 being the electron beam: producing section which to gether with the-section. 3 is. to be detachably fastened as a unit to the externali wall of the vacuum chamber. It will be understood that the. various electrodes constitutingsections 3 and t are mechanically interconnected: to -tormi a. structural unit which. care be readily attached: in a vacuum-tight manner to the wall I of the vacuum chamber. This unit can. comprise a metal header comprisingacenter circular section 5' and a surrounding annul'ar sectic'n'i 5a: which. is joined tosection 5' 'by a ring co or suitable inst-11a..- tion such-'as glass or ceramic; The: section. 5t has a flange e arrangedtoz be attacheditcn the; wall I bysuitable bolts 1-,. and with any welk-known intervening vacuum ti'ght sealing rings, washers, or the like, t'osea-l the. bolted. jointsi The header? section 5- has. a central. opening. 8 for. registry with opening 2%.. lltespectijvev metal rods or wires" H', l nwhichipassthrough-theme sul'ato'r ring 511.; arearranged to beii attached to, and mechanically support, therespective elec trodes [3 re, oi theion-izatiorr section 3; vllllec- I trode '3 may be in the' form of a metal cylinder which is appropriately negatively biassedso as to-a'ct as an ion collector. The-electrode I l may be in: the form of; a metal cupand? appropriately positively biassed: to act as an: electron collector; it being understood that electrodes is and. M2 are mountedv in coaxial alignment withv opening. 8:

. Header section 5w has a5.cy-l'indrical flange P5 to: which is sealed, in' a vacuum-tight manner a glass header l6 and through whichare-sealed in a vacuum-tight manner thelead-in rods or wires I'l -2 h. Supported: on wires: 1:19;, 1:9; is an-eleetron emitting member or cathode: 2-2 which may be: in the form of aconvoluted metal. filament or strip, coated with a material or'materials which emit electrons whenthe filament 01 strip: is raised to emittingtemperature Since? cathodes of this type" are well-known in the art,v detailed: description thereofis not requiredherein. Supported cylindrical flange ZAWVh -Ch'iSlOf smaller diameter than the cylinder 23:. arranged. tobe m isitively biassed wit-1r respect-to The headersection 5 is instantaneously.

will not occur.

the cathode to act as an electron accelerator so that the elements 23 and 24 form in effect an electron lens for concentrating the electrons from cathode 22 into a focussed relatively high velocity electron beam which passes substantially centrally through opening 8.

In order to protect the glass header IS, a suitable metal ferrule 25 is attached to the header section in any suitable manner, and the ferrule 25 carries an insulation header or disc 26. The

the prong 21 can be connected through socket contact 31 to a suitable negative biassing potential represented schematically by battery 45. For example by this arrangement, the electrode [3 can be biassed approximately volts with respect to the cathode. Likewise the focussing cylinder 23 can be connected through prong 28 and socket contact 38, to a negative biassing potential represented schematically by battery 46. The header section 5, and therefore the fccussing flange 24, can be connected through prong 32 and socket contact 42, to a suitable high positive direct current potential, for example +150 volts direct current, as represented schematically by the battery 41. Similarly, the electron collector 14 can be connected through prong 3| and spring contact 4|, to a suitable positive direct current biasing potential represented by battery 48.

Arranged to be connected in circuit with the ion collector I3, is a suitable indicator 49 which indicates the amount of ionic current flowing to the electrode [3. The indicator 49 can be calibrated in terms of gas pressure or vacuum as is well-known in the art.

With the'foregoing arrangement, the gauge can be readily attached to any chamber wherein the vacuum or pressure conditions are to be measured, and the ion collection section 3 can be located at the proper point to enable the pressure at that point to be determined accurately and By separating the electron source, which includes the electron emitter 22, from the ion collecting source, it is possible to protect the hot cathode to a great extent from oil or other vapors which may be present in the vacuum chamber enclosed by wall I, while at the same time protecting the cathode to a great extent from gas bursts within said chamber. Consequently false pressure readings due to gas which in the ordinary gauge constructions is absorbed by or emitted by the filamentary cathode,

Since the electrons which produce the ionization are in the form of a focussed beam, they are substantially entirely focussed through the opening 8, the cylindrical wall of which acts as an electron accelerator and from which they emerge into the vacuum system within the chamber 1, in a relatively sharp beam. In

the well-known manner, these focussed electrons produce ions in the evacuated space within the chamber l at a rate proportional to the current in theelectron beam itself, andto the pressure of The gas or vapor within the chamber l. The resultant ions are collected by the electrode [3 which is maintained approximately 15 or 20 volts negative with respect to the cathode 22. Furthermore, the electrons being at relatively high velocity and in a constricted beam, pass freely through the electrode I3 and are substantially all collected by the electron collector I4. Thus the filamentary cathode is contained in a separate small chamber where it is fairly well protected from contamination by the vacuum system in chamber 1. However the'measuring portion of the gauge device. constituted by the cylinder I3, is directly in the vacuum system proper within the chamber I. Instead of making the electrode l3 of a simple cylinder, its wall may be perforated or otherwise rendered foraminous, so as to increase the percentage of interaction between the electron beam and the gas or vapor within the chamber l. Furthermore, while separate batteries are schematically illustrated for biassing the various electrodes, it will be understood that a single direct current source such as a conventional direct current power supply may be employed with suitable potential taps to the various electrodes as indicated. Furthermore, while the drawing shows one particular arrangement of cathode and focussing and accelerating electrodes for developing a focussed electron beam, it will be understood that any other well-known electron gun for developing such a beam, can be used.

While one particular embodiment has been described herein, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A unitary device for external attachment to and insertion through the wall of an evacuated chamber for determining the degree of vacuum within the chamber by ionization, comprising a housing enclosing a first sub-assembly consisting of an electron emitter and electron beam focussing electrodes, means removably attaching said housing in a vacuum-tight manner to the external wall of the chamber, said housing having an openingin registry with a corresponding opening in said wall and through which said beam is projected, and another sub-assembly consisting of an electron collector electrode and an ion collector electrode forming a structural unit with said first-mentioned sub-assembly for insertion of said other sub-assembly through said opening into the chamber at the point where the degree of vacuum is to be determined.

2. A unitary device for external attachment to the wall of an evacuated chamber for determining the degree of vacuum within the chamber by ionization, comprising a metal header, means to attach said header in a vacuum-tight manner to said wall and with an opening in the header in registry with an opening with said wall, means carried by said header and forming a closed housing, means to support a first sub-assembly consisting of an electron emitter and electron beam focussing electrodes within said housing for alignment with said openings, a second sub-assembly consisting of an electron collector electrode and an ion collector electrode, said sub-assemblies being mechanically interconnected to form a unit for enabling the second sub-assembly to be inpotentials to said emitter, to said focussing electrodes and to said collector electrodes for thepurpose set forth.

3. A unitary ionization gauge device, comprising a first electron beam developing section, a second ion collecting section, means mechanically interconnecting said sections as a unit for insertion of the second section through an opening in the wall of said chamber to the point where the vacuum is to be measured, a vacuum-tight housing for said first section, means to support said first section within said housing in alignment with said opening and to support said second section within the chamber and in alignment with said opening, and lead-in wires sealed through said housing for applying relative biasing potentials to the electrodes of both sections.

4. An ionization gauge device according to claim 3, in which the first section includes an electron-emitting cathode and beam focussing and accelerating electrodes, and said second sec- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,081,429 Gaede May 25, 1937 2,347,328 Marton Apr. 25, 1944 20 2,375,280 Calbick May 8, 1945 2,501,702 Varian Mar. 28, 1950 

